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AGSM MBA (full-time)

Reaching the top levels of global business today demands excellence, critical thinking, exceptional knowledge, communication skills and cultural awareness, all of which the AGSM MBA program is designed to nurture.

Overview

Structure

Entry requirements

How to apply

Student experience

FAQs

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Why choose this MBA?

One of the top 100 MBA programs, as ranked by the Financial Times (UK)

First MBA to be accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB) in Australia

Experience full-time study at our purpose built AGSM @ UNSW Business School campus at UNSW, Sydney – the financial capital of Australia and gateway to the world’s fastest growing economic region of South East Asia

Be part of an elite cohort of talented business students, and develop a valuable and influential global network

You will typically complete the AGSM MBA in 16 months. It has a two stages: the core phase and the elective phase.

Stage one

Nine core courses completed over two terms

Foundations of Management

An intensive two week core course providing an overview of the role of a general manager, and the skills you need to be a successful manager. Develop your team skills, leadership capability, communication skills, and managerial effectiveness. There is a specific focus on business ethics and the role it plays in equipping managers for business success.

This course consists of three modules:
1.Reflective Practice
2.Skills
3.Teamwork
The first module introduces students to the main theories, models, and tools of reflective practice including self-awareness, relating to others, emotional intelligence, culture and diversity and ethics.
The second module consists of written and oral communication, presentation skills, creative and strategic thinking and case analysis.
Students are given the opportunity to practise and reflect on their own creative thinking and communication skills under varying circumstances.
The third module introduces students to teamwork. This module encourages students to explore self and group efficacy, teamwork skills and their capacity to handle the demands of the course and their personal life. In this way the course aims to encourage students to focus attention beyond graduation and strengthen student's commitment to the program.

Course outline

This course is an introduction to microeconomics (the economics of the market) and macroeconomics (the economics of the country) for people who have done little or no economics.

It covers how we model the behaviour of firms operating in their diverse markets, using the concepts of demand, supply and market equilibrium.

Critical tools such as elasticity, opportunity cost and game theory are developed and used.

The macroeconomics section shows how we measure economic production for entire countries, what determines long-term growth of nations, and why money and the institutions that manage it are important elements affecting economic behaviour.

Course outline

Entrepreneurship and Innovation are today key drivers of business transformation and disruption. This course provides the fundaments of an entrepreneurial organisation, looking at the elements for success, how a startup is conceived, grows, and is funded. All stages of the entrepreneurial lifecycle are dealt with. It will examine in detail corporate innovation, looking at the upside, the barriers and the corporate antibodies that can stifle innovation if left unchecked.

Course outline

Teaches the basic concepts and principles underlying accounting and the economic issues in reporting.
It focuses on how accounting information is collected, processed and presented to users outside the organisation, as well as the trade-offs that a manager faces in deciding how to present financial results.

Course outline

Provides an introduction to the three basic ideas in finance: the time value of money, diversification and arbitrage. These ideas are used to evaluate investment and financing decisions. In particular, we look at how managers can apply these concepts to add value to the firm.

Course outline

This course develops expertise in a standard set of statistical and graphical techniques, which will be useful in analysing data.

These techniques are widely applied in a number of areas of management, including marketing, finance and economics.

The course provides a change in mindset from "statistics can be used to show anything" to "statistics provides a methodology to cope with uncertainty" via the art of statistical thinking, that is, the ability to collect, understand and use data.

This course was previously known as ‘Data Analysis and Decision Making Under Uncertainty’.

Course outline

Seeks to develop an awareness of major marketing problems faced by a variety of organisations, with an emphasis on sound approaches to addressing these problems.
The course focuses on the factors influencing marketing decision-making to cultivate proficiency in articulating aspects of the marketing mix, and developing customer-orientated and competitive marketing strategies and plans.

Course outline

Organisational behaviour draws on concepts from the social sciences to identify and solve some of the challenges faced by managers. Learn how to design effective work units and gain an insight into how leadership influences individual and organisational performance.
Each of the topics in this course provides the tools for building and sustaining high performance at the individual, group and organisational level.

Course outline

Looks at the competitive strategy of the firm, examining issues central to its long and short term competitive position.
It explores a variety of conceptual frameworks and models to analyse and gain insights about how to achieve or sustain competitive advantage.

Stage two

Seven elective courses completed over a maximum of two terms

This course provides students with frameworks and practical examples so they can design an organisation to successfully deliver on its strategy. This includes organisation structure for large and smaller organisations, ranging from conglomerates to more focussed enterprises, and organisations in only one country as well as multi-national organisations. The course then covers key enablers including organisation culture, job and team designs, corporate governance and joint ventures. The students consider different approaches to implementing changes in organisation structure and which approaches work best in which situations. Finally the course considers particular situations such as mergers and acquisitions and downsizing and outsourcing as part of the overall approach to restructuring to assist students in their current and future careers. The course follows MNGT5201 Economics in Management Practice and MNGT5272 Organisational Behaviour. It will also fit well following any of the strategy electives as the course focusses on how to align the organisation to deliver on the strategy.

Course outline

This course builds on MNGT5202, providing a hands-on internship experience, allowing for immersion in a real-world startup environment. Students undertake an internship in a local startup, experiencing first-hand the thrill of growing an entrepreneurial business. The challenge in the course is to provide the startup with expertise that they may not have, while at the same time living and breathing the startup world from the inside.

Course outline

The exact type and structure of a 'financial analysis' depends largely on the specific decision making context in which the analyst is placed - is it equity investment, credit extension, analysis of supplier/customer health, competitor analysis, regulatory overview or intervention, or valuation for take-over or restructuring purposes?
However, many of the techniques of financial analysis are common to each.
This course devotes considerable attention to these 'techniques' and the difficulties associated with their application; primarily in the context of equity investment/valuation and credit extension decisions.
The emphasis is on sharpening analytical abilities in financial statement analysis from a managerial standpoint.
Particular attention is placed on developing an ability to 'pierce the accounting veil' to get at the underlying bottom line - cash flow and the inherent volatility thereof.
The Core Finance and Core Accounting courses are prerequisites for this elective.

Course outline

Through the use of case studies, this course applies the basic concepts introduced in core Finance (MNGT5220) course to the firm’s financial decisions.

We focus on the determinants of the firm's capital structure and dividend policy, estimation of the cost of capital, the valuation of strategic investment opportunities and the application of valuation techniques to the acquisition of other firms.

Course outline

The venture capital and private equity industry has expanded by at least 3000% over the past fifteen years and is playing a critical role in shaping our economy and supporting innovation.
Yet venture capital firms often operate in mysterious ways, with little real public visibility.
This course seeks to understand what venture capital is, what venture capitalists do and the way venture capital organisations work. This course is primarily geared towards students interested in working in venture capital, or other private-equity organizations.
It is also intended for students who expect to work alongside venture capitalists or other private equity investors, whether as managers of firms financed by such investors, as investment bankers taking their firms public, or as money managers investing in these funds.
Finally, it is designed for students interested in exploring how aspects of private equity investing can be transferred to the management of projects in established organizations.

Course outline

This course provides a conceptual framework within which the key financial decisions of the multinational firm can be analysed.
The course first considers the environment of international financial management, emphasizing the determination of exchange rates.
We study international exposures, then analyse investment and financing decisions as they are made by a multinational entity.

Course outline

The aim of this course is to improve decision-making skills and to provide strategies for further improvement in the future.
We cover how individuals and groups make decisions and solve problems, individually and in organizations.
By the end of the course, students will understand their own decision styles and personal dispositions, make decisions more deliberately and systematically will be able to use decision analysis techniques and group processes, integrate their values into their decisions, and, generally, have increased confidence in their decision-making.

Course outline

Negotiation is a central element in managerial life. Negotiations are required not only with external parties but also within the firm.
The course will consider both co-operative and competitive dimensions of negotiation and examine the ethical issues which arise.

Course outline

This elective course on Strategies for Growth is a follow-up course to the core Strategy course offered at full time MBA program.
Growth is possibly the most important concern of a firm after survival and the ability to manage growth has become a priority in the corporate agenda for sustaining competitive advantage. Strategies for Growth will provide students with an understanding of how to think strategically for growth.
The course is structured around different growth strategies available to managers, including internal research and development, corporate venturing programs and corporate venture capital, joint ventures, mergers and acquisitions, and globalization.

Course outline

The aim of this course is to provide students with the skills required to model and analyse business problems that have financial (revenue and cost) implications and to enable them to effectively present data for effective communication to a business audience.

Course outline

The aim of this course is to provide students with the skills required to model and analyse business problems that have financial (revenue and cost) implications and to enable them to effectively present data for effective communication to a business audience.

Course outline

The objective of this course is to introduce students to Mergers and Acquisitions (M&A) and the requisite knowledge for the development and execution of corporate transactions particularly within equity capital markets. Typical transactions include Takeovers (and Schemes of Arrangement), Acquisitions, Divestments, Initial Public Offerings and Secondary Raisings. Each of these types of transactions will be addressed within the course.

Students will utilise common corporate finance tools and knowledge as applied within the context of considering, developing and executing M&A transactions.

Participants will apply insights and skills taken from previous courses in finance. The course includes negotiation within the context of M&A.

Case studies are used extensively throughout the course – including the use of current or recent transactions involving listed companies.

The course is a mixture of lectures, class discussions, case studies and group exercises – all with an emphasis on the practical applications of corporate finance skills and knowledge within the context of M&A.

Course outline

This course will equip you with the practical skills to design and structure decision-making models. Students will be presented with a design methodology and the associated modelling techniques necessary to build models that are clear to use, powerful in application and address specific needs.

The models may be financial models, decision making models, costing models or operational models. Regardless of their purpose, the course will also equip you to visualise results in well structured dashboards that adhere to the needs of C-suite professionals and organisational decision makers.

The techniques covered will focus on Microsoft Excel and would benefit anyone who wishes to better understand, build, analyse or maintain Excel based models.

Course outline

Management Projects offer MBA candidates who have completed their core courses real opportunities in businesses.
Teams collaborate with corporate managers and AGSM Academics to apply conceptual frame works and global best practice to management challenges, finding practical solutions for companies.
Students are supported in the completion of their project by an Academic Supervisor and the Management Projects Co-ordinator.

Course outline

The Strategic Consulting Project course is offered as an elective of the AGSM MBA program and it provides students the opportunity to apply the analytical and theoretical skills developed in the MBA to a company-based project. Students work in teams of five to six, supervised by an Academic Supervisor. It provides students an opportunity to demonstrate to the supervisor their ability to apply the management skills learnt during their MBA program, in addition to drawing on their considerable experience acquired in their earlier careers.

Course outline

International exchange program

During stage two, you may also apply to go on an
international exchange program at one of our partner schools in Europe, North America and Asia. These
partner schools represent 28 of the world’s leading business schools, including London Business School, Wharton, Stern (NYU) and ESADE.

You can also undertake a management project or individual studies in management during this phase.

You can apply to the AGSM MBA program online up to one year in advance of the commencement date, which is in January. Applications are assessed over the below rounds:

AGSM MBA Program: Admissions Schedule 2019

Rounds

Term 1 2020 intake

Application Deadline

Offer sent out

Offer acceptance deadline

1

1 May

30 May

30 June

2

1 June

30 June

30 July

3

1 July

30 July

30 August

4

1 August

30 August

30 September

5

1 September

30 September

30 October

6

1 October

30 October

30 November

7 (Domestic only)

30 October

15 November

15 December

International applicants

If you are an international applicant, you are strongly encouraged to submit your application well before the 4th round deadlines. This is to allow time for you to organise your student visa should you be offered a place on the program.

Documentation checklist

Before applying you will need to gather the following supporting documentation:

Apply online

The AGSM MBA Admissions Selection Committee will review your application. You will then be contacted to arrange an admissions interview, and this can be conducted by phone. We will advise you of the outcome by email within four weeks of your complete application.

We know you're busy balancing postgraduate study with your personal and other work commitments. So UNSW Business School's dynamic learning spaces, facilities and student support helps you make the most of every day on campus.

Expand your professional network

Your postgraduate cohort is more than a valuable future business network – you'll make lifelong friends in class and at a range of social events. Join a student club – there are more than 180 social, cultural, sports and professional clubs to choose from. The Graduate Student Association is a great place to start. Find out more

All the support you need to achieve

If it has been a while since you last studied, you may need to brush up on your skills. We'll help with study skills workshops and Career Mentoring programs. Our Meet the Executive series offers unique behind the scenes business insights and the Business School's LEAD Business Leadership program, as well as many other orientation, leadership and mentor programs, can open the door to new opportunities. Find out more

Stay active on campus

Exercise boosts your mental wellbeing and can help you deal with exam or assignment pressures. It's easy to stay fit with state of the art sporting facilities on campus, including a 50m indoor pool, fitness centre, squash courts and a range of competitive sports teams. Find out more

Everything you need in one place

The UNSW Kensington campus is like a village hub, with cafes, bars, banks, a post office, medical and dental centres as well as retail outlets. It's a short bus trip to Sydney's CBD, many beautiful beaches, the SCG and Centennial Park, and movie theatres at Fox Studios. Find out more

Make the most of every opportunity

Your postgraduate degree is a unique chance to get a new perspective on life. So get involved – as well as student clubs and social activities there are internships, volunteer projects, competitions and international exchanges on offer. It's a great way to further develop your leadership, project management or specialist skills.